Archaeological Excavations at Glendalough

Join us for a trench-side chat with the crew at Glendalough in the first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast

Archaeological Excavations at Glendalough

Join us for a trench-side chat with the crew at Glendalough in the first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast

In the very first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast we join Professor Graeme Warren, Conor McDermott and the team from UCD School of Archaeology and local volunteers who are carrying out exciting excavations at Glendalough.

Glendalough is one of the most iconic places in Ireland. Saint Kevin is believed to have founded a monastery in this stunningly beautiful valley in County Wicklow some time in the later sixth century. The monastery went on to become a famed centre of learning, and it had a long and illustrious history. Today, thanks to its glorious setting, this site has become one of the most visited heritage sites in Ireland. Kevin and his monastery has been subject to much scholarly discussion, histories, hagiographies, folklore and legend over the years. However, there had been little modern archaeological study carried out until Professor Graeme Warren and Conor McDermott of the UCD School of Archaeology began to carry out a series of investigations, surveys and excavations over the last number of years.

Combining their expertise, with the local community and a variety of land owners and stakeholders, they formed the Glendalough Heritage Forum to help promote the cultural heritage of Glendalough and to increase collaboration between different groups, not least the local community. The Glendalough Heritage Forum community excavations are funded by Wicklow County Council, the Heritage Council and UCD School of Archaeology, with substantial support in kind from National Parks and Wildlife Services and Office of Public Works.

We had the opportunity to join the archaeologists on site, where we had a chat with Graeme, Conor and the team who generously took the time to give us some wonderful insights into the project and the challenges and joys of archaeology.

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: Archaeological Excavations at Glendalough

Duration: 52 mins.

Summary:
Join us for a trench-side chat with the crew at Glendalough in the first episode of Amplify Archaeology Podcast

Episode 1: Excavations at Glendalough

• You can find out more about the Glendalough Research Project here.
• You can discover the many fascinating features of Glendalough in our Tuatha article here.
• You can find more information on the Glendalough Heritage Forum on their website.
• For information on Wicklow’s heritage please visit here.
• The National Museum of Ireland have a new exhibition on Glendalough, informed by the excavation discoveries. You can hear Matt Seaver and Maeve Sikora of the National Museum discussing the exhibition and curation in Episode 14 of Amplify Archaeology Podcast.
• Glendalough is one of Ireland’s most spectacular historic landscapes. You can find out more in Christiaan Corlett’s publication.
• For visitor information please visit the OPW website.

Amplify Archaeology Podcast

The podcast is an Abarta Heritage production...

Knockroe Winter Solstice

Dig into the Story of the Winter Solstice at Knockroe Passage Tomb in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 28 with Prof. Muiris O’Sullivan

Knockroe Winter Solstice

Dig into the Story of the Winter Solstice at Knockroe Passage Tomb in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 28 with Prof. Muiris O’Sullivan

The Knockroe Winter Solstice is one of the highlights of my year. This Neolithic passage tomb is aligned to both sunrise and sunset on the solstice. Professor Muiris O’Sullivan who excavated Knockroe joins us to discuss this wonderful site, Neolithic Ireland and meaning in episode 28 of Amplify Archaeology Podcast.

In this episode of the Amplify Archaeology Podcast, Neil had another great chat with Professor Muiris O’Sullivan, who you might remember from our Winter Solstice at Newgrange Miniseries. This time Muiris told us all about Knockroe Passage Tomb in the Lingaun Valley, on the borderlands between Kilkenny and Tipperary. Like Newgrange, Knockroe also has Winter Solstice alignments, but for both the sunrise and sunset. Making it a very rare example of a dual-aligned tomb.

Muiris discussed his excavations at Knockroe, the findings and megalithic art, and how an innovative experimental archaeology project by Tara Clarke (now a much-valued colleague at Abarta Heritage!) has revealed some fascinating insights into Neolithic Ireland. We also discussed folklore, borders and boundaries, and the incredibly rich and varied heritage of the Lingaun Valley. Many thanks again to Muiris for all his time and insights. If you’d like to explore this archaeological landscape for yourself do tune into the episode to find out how to get your free itinerary map!

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: Knockroe Winter Solstice

Duration: 59 mins.

Summary:
In this fascinating discussion with Prof. Muiris O’Sullivan, we discuss the Winter Solstice at Knockroe Passage Tomb and more!

Knockroe Winter Solstice – Key Discussion Points

• The setting of Knockroe Passage Tomb – 2 min 26 secs
• How did Muiris first come to study Knockroe? – 3 min 08 secs
• The archaeological landscape of the Lingaun Valley – 4 min 30 secs
• Borderlands – 6 min 57 secs
• The importance of Slievenamon – 11 min 03 secs
• Folklore, Myths and Legends – 12 min
• The excavations at Knockroe – 12 min 30 secs
• The interesting geology and use of stone at Knockroe – 17 min 47 secs
• The two passageways of Knockroe – 23 min
• Human remains at Knockroe – 26 mins 09 secs
• The artefactual assemblage at Knockroe – 28 min 50 secs
• Experimental archaeology and bone pins – 29 min 56 secs
• Carrowkeel Bowls – 33 mins 30 secs
• The Megalithic Art at Knockroe – 36 min 30 secs
• How did the excavations at Knockroe change Muiris’s perception of passage tombs – 39 mins 19 secs
• The local folklore of Knockroe – 44 min 30 secs
• The Knockroe Winter Solstice and meaning in Neolithic Ireland – 48 min 04 secs
• The Winter Solstice at Knockroe today, spirituality, meaning and belief – 50 min 52 secs

Show notes and links to further information

• The Winter Solstice event at Knockroe is always a lovely experience. It is managed by the local community through Lingaun Valley Tourism. You can follow them on Facebook here.
• If you can’t make it there, I highly recommend watching the Winter Solstice at Newgrange live online. National Monume...

Island Pilgrimage: Holy Wells, Cures & Curses

Dig into the Story of Inishbofin and Inishark in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 39 with Tommy Burke and Dr Ryan Lash

Island Pilgrimage: Holy Wells, Cures & Curses

Dig into the Story of Inishbofin and Inishark in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 39 with Tommy Burke and Dr Ryan Lash

In this fascinating discussion with Tommy Burke and Dr Ryan Lash we discuss aspects of pilgrimage, faith and folklore on Inishbofin and Inishark.

The islands of Inishbofin and Inishark lie off the western coast of County Galway. They are beautiful places, though the breathtaking scenery is imbued with many stories. One of the most celebrated stories of Inishbofin is its connection to the famous St Colmán of Lindisfarne, who established a monastery here in the seventh century. Inishark is connected to the more enigmatic St Leo, and both islands have a long tradition of pilgrimage that centres around the early monastic remains found there. Though they may have began in the early medieval period, these pilgrimage traditions have adapted over the centuries, right up to the twentieth century, creating a blend of continuity and change with each generation of islanders.

This discussion with Tommy Burke and Dr Ryan Lash, looks at some of the key features of the pilgrimage landscape of the islands, and we hear about the discoveries of the research excavations that have taken place in recent years. We discuss holy wells and their origins, and folk belief around cures and curses. We also hear about the skulls taken in the 19th century from St Colmán’s Monastery, and the efforts by the local community and others in helping to secure their return after more than a century. From cures, curses, wells and wonders, this is a wide ranging chat, I hope you enjoy the episode!

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: Island Pilgrimage

Duration: 1 hour 28 mins.

Summary:
In this fascinating discussion with Tommy Burke and Dr Ryan Lash we discuss aspects of pilgrimage, faith and folklore on Inishbofin and Inishark.

Island Pilgrimage – Key Discussion Points

• Introduction to Inishbofin and Inishark – 2 min 13 secs
• Overview of early medieval Christian aspects of the islands – 8 min 20 secs
• Pilgrimage and Turas – 13 min 09 secs
• Holy wells – 17 min 42 secs
• Cures – 22 min 18 secs
• Do Ireland’s holy wells have pagan origins? – 23 min 23 secs
• Curses – 31 min 07 secs
• The practice of pilgrimage – 37 min 38 secs
• The response of the Catholic Church to pattern days and ‘informal’ pilgrimage – 42 min 15 secs
• Island faith and practice in the absence of a priest – 49 mins 55 secs
• The Haddon Project and the repatriation of human remains – 58 min
• Sites at risk through climate change – 1 hour 14 min
• Where can people find out more? – 1 hour 16 mins

Show notes and links to further information

• You can find information on Tommy’s walking tours, including contact info for booking here.
• Tommy did a really interesting interview about Inishbofin during the Covid Lockdowns, available on YouTube.
• You can find a number of papers by Ryan on Academia.edu here.
• And he has a recorded talk that covers a broad sweep of the research on Inishbofin and Inishark available here.
• And ...

Green Heritage Relict Plants and Medieval Women

Dig into the Story of Relict Plants and Women & Gender in Medieval Ireland in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 27 with Dr Karen Dempsey

Green Heritage Relict Plants and Medieval Women

Dig into the Story of Relict Plants and Women & Gender in Medieval Ireland in Amplify Archaeology Podcast Episode 27 with Dr Karen Dempsey

When we visit medieval castles, we inevitably focus on the grandeur and romance of the ruins of the stone fortresses, but stories bloom in quiet corners. In this fascinating discussion with Dr Karen Dempsey, we discuss green heritage, relict plants, and women in medieval Ireland.

In this episode of the Amplify Archaeology Podcast, Neil had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Karen Dempsey, a researcher with the Department of Archaeology at NUIG. Karen has been carrying fascinating research with the project ‘Sowing Seeds of Interdisciplinary Work’. The project, funded by the Castle Studies Trust, was a multidisciplinary way of looking at life at medieval castles by studying ‘relict plants’. These plants are the descendants of those introduced by the people who built and lived in the castles. They provide insights into so many aspects of medieval life, including diet, medicine, fashion and belief.

Four geographically diverse but culturally similar medieval castles were selected for botanical surveys: Adare. Co. Limerick, Castleroche, Co. Louth, Carbury, Co. Kildare and Castlecarra, Co. Mayo. Together with detailed analysis of archaeological, historical and architectural details of these castles, the study of the botany has enriched our understanding of the ‘green’ lives of people in the past but also showcased the life of castles – as medieval residences but also as romantic ruins in later landscapes.

This is a fascinating discussion that digs into the results of the project and the chat ranges from castles and conquests, women and gender to gardening, colonialism, spirituality and nature. I hope you enjoy the episode!

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

AMPLIFY ARCHAEOLOGY PODCAST

Title: Green Heritage, Relict Plants, and Medieval Women

Duration: 53 mins.

Summary:
In this fascinating discussion with Dr Karen Dempsey, we discuss green heritage, relict plants, and women in medieval Ireland.

Green Heritage, Relict Plants and Medieval Women – Key Discussion Points

• What drew Karen to study the medieval period? – 1 min 01 secs
• What are relict plants? – 3 min 06 secs
• Apart from food, what else were plants used for in medieval Ireland? – 4 min 35 secs
• Did the use of plants change after the arrival of the Normans? Can plants be colonial? – 6 min 49 secs
• The Relict Plants Projects – 8 min 25 secs
• Results at Castleroche – 12 min 50 secs
• Results at Adare Castle – 17 min 24 secs
• Results at Castle Carra – 20 min 07 secs
• Results at Carbury Castle – 22 min 43 secs
• The importance of hedgerows and ‘green heritage’ – 25 mins 29 secs
• Gardening, Meaning and Living Heritage – 26 min 12 secs
• Does the type of plant we choose to grow say something about society, today and in the past? – 30 min 26 secs
• Plants and spirituality – 34 mins 15 secs
• Women and medieval Ireland – 40 min 28 secs
• Medieval women in the historical record – 45 mins 20 secs
• Where can people learn more about the project – 46 min 57 secs

Show notes and links to further information

• You can discover more about the Sowing Seeds Project